Dining: Mi Madre's

Mi Madre's can make me enchiladas any time

By Dale Rice
American-Statesman Restaurant Critic
Web posted: Dec. 1, 2004

A colleague of mine contends that basic Tex-Mex fare -- enchiladas, rice and beans -- tastes pretty much the same from restaurant to restaurant.

That assertion, I'm not sorry to say, is wrong.

Enchiladas are like fingerprints; each establishment's is unique and distinct, offering wildly varying flavors and quality across Central Texas.

That sauce takes two large cheese enchiladas to the next level, turning them into something well beyond average Tex-Mex fare.

While the enchiladas are the element to savor, the other components make the No. 1 dinner ($9) a hearty meal: a scoop of guacamole, a crisp taco filled with well-seasoned ground beef, a tostada cup of chile con queso, rice and refried beans.

The chicken quesadilla ($7.50) was crisply browned, with a spicy filling of chicken, cheese, onions and peppers. It was served with sour cream, guacamole and rice, making it as much an entree as an appetizer.

One of the longtime eateries in what has become a popular restaurant row on the East Side, Mi Madre's is a deceptively small breakfast-and-lunch spot -- unless you know there's a second, larger dining room behind the kitchen.

From the breakfast side of the menu, the migas taco ($2) was stuffed with a generous portion of migas that were dominated by the fried tortilla strips. The machacado and egg taco ($2.50), unlike most that include only those two ingredients, also contained onions, tomatoes and peppers.

The sopapillas ($3.50) were three crisp pillows of flaky pastry lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar, with honey for drizzling over them.

While each of the items was tasty, it was the enchiladas that distinguished the restaurant. Mi Madre's proves that all enchiladas are not created equal.